The present invention is generally directed at skirted fishing lures. More particularly, the present invention is directed collars which are formed in various constructions to affix a multi-filament skirt to a lure, as well as a tool in which to affix the multi-filament skirt to said collar.
With the expanded popularity of sport fishing, and in particular bass and walleye fishing, a myriad of different lures have arrived on the market. Generally, these lures are designed from varieties of materials and in varying shapes and colors to enable fishermen to present a variety of basic offerings or presentations for top water, mid-water and bottom fishing. Each presentation is tailored to a particular application, for example, the structure being fished, zone of fish suspension, the mood of the fish, or the weather. Colors and attractors are attached to accentuate the offerings. The different lures enhance the fisherman's ability to match conditions and entice a strike.
Two common lures include spinner baits, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and a jig head, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Common characteristics shared by both lures include a ¼ to 1 ounce lead head which is molded to an appropriate up-turned eye hook or shaft for connection to a fishing line. Large numbers of such lures exist and which exhibit differing head designs, dressing attachment flanges and hook shapes, not to mention the attached dressings. The lures are formed to accept, or are fitted with, various dressings, for example, wire forms and spinner blades, plastisol bodies and multi-filament skirts, to enhance movement or attractant qualities.
Multi-filament skirts fitted to the lures are also normally fitted to flanges that project from the aft end of the head. Barbs or an annular ridge may be provided at the flange. The skirts typically are threaded over the flange and positioned in abutment to the head. The skirts typically include a collar from which a number of filaments trail. Examples of such skirts and lures are generally disclosed within the following commonly owned patents, each of which is incorporated herein by reference:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,047
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,015
U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,312
U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,787
U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,372
U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,336
However, due to the varying manufacturers and the different sized overall heads on both spinner baits and jig heads, there is no universally accepted diameter size or length of the retainer or flange. As such, specific collars corresponding to the size of the respective flange must be produced in order to adequately attach a skirt to the lure. This requires a variety of different collars needing to be manufactured and distributed for each specific lure manufacturer, or to accommodate a specific sized retainer or flange. There therefore exists a need in the art to provide a universal collar capable of affixing multi-banded skirts to a multitude of lure retainer and flange sizes.
Moreover, in configuring the collar of the present invention, prior-art tools which were used to form and attach the multi-banded skirts are no longer effective in performing the same function. Such an exemplary tool of the prior-art is fully disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,569, which is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference. There therefore exists a further need to provide a tool to effectively and efficiently attach the multi-banded skirt to the collar of the present invention.